神的羔羊

當我正要把一系列的啟示性的畫作放在我的網站上時，我聽到聖靈說：沒有救贖，就沒有啟示。耶穌基督是神的獨生愛子，為拯救世人，成為贖罪羔羊作了挽回祭。這是父神為罪人預備的救恩。神感動我要把釘十字架的耶穌和羔羊畫出來，主耶穌是宇宙的中心。於是我懷著感恩的心，開始創作神的羔羊這幅圖畫。透過釘十字架的耶穌, 神的愛充滿了我, 我一邊流淚一邊創作, 好幾次我都要停下畫筆來，主耶穌啊, 是誰把祢釘在十字架上? 祢為誰而受死？祢是為我，為世人的罪死的。 “因為世人都犯了罪，虧欠了神的榮耀。”（羅馬書3:23）
神創造了人類，人卻不聽神的話，犯了罪，罪惡便進入了世界。有罪的人是不能親近聖潔的神。人與神的關係便斷絕了。罪的結局是死, 所以人都要經歷死亡，死後要面對神的審判。但神愛世人，衪賜下獨生愛子，耶穌基督來到世上，為我們的罪，死在十字架上，使信他的人，脫離罪惡，與神和好，得著永生。神告訴我們，除他以外，別無拯救。 “因為在天下人間，沒有賜下別的名，我們可以靠著得救。”（使徒行傳 4:12 ）
圖畫中受了鞭傷, 手腳被釘在十字架上的耶穌，頭戴荊棘冠冕，順服父神的旨意情願接受十字架的刑罰，並且為釘衪十字架的人禱告：“父啊，赦免他們。因為他們所做的，他們不曉得。”（路加23:34）衪還說：“我的神，我的神，為什麼離棄我？”
耶穌的呼喊驚動天地，衪是神的獨生愛子，從耒沒有與天上的父分離過，但為擔當人類一切的罪,在十字架上衪與天上的父分離了, 此時與父分離的痛苦更堪於肉身所受的。
“他誠然擔當我們的憂患，背負我們的痛苦，我們卻以為他受責罰，被神擊打苦待了。 哪知他為我們的過犯受害，為我們的罪孽壓傷。因他受的刑罰，我們得平安；因他受的鞭傷，我們得醫治。我們都如羊走迷，各人偏行己路。耶和華使我們眾人的罪孽都歸在他身上。（以賽亞書53:4 -6）
畫的紅色背景代表主耶穌的寶血染紅了整個的宇宙,神羔羊是宇宙的中心。畫上面的羔羊，代表耶穌基督. “次日約翰看見耶穌來到他那裡, 就說: 看哪! 神的羔羊, 除去世人罪孽的.” (約翰福言1:29)
耶穌基督受死, 埋葬, 三天後復活. 衪勝過了死亡, 昇上高天, 坐在寶座上作王到永遠. 〝曾被殺的羔羊是配得權柄, 豐富, 智慧, 能力, 尊貴,榮耀, 頌讚的. ” (啟示錄5:12)

When I was about to upload a series of inspirational paintings for my website, I heard the Holy Spirit saying to me: No salvation, no revelation. Jesus Christ, God’s only beloved Son, saves the world by becoming the propitiation atonement lamb. This is the salvation that our Father God prepared to atone for mankind’s sinful nature. The Lord revealed to me that Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God crucified, He is the central of everything. When I started drawing this picture, the love of God filled me up through the crucifixion of Jesus and so touched me to tears that I had to stop drawing several times. I just found myself singing Charles Wesley’s hymn over and over: And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Saviour’s blood? Died He for me, who caused His pain? For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be that thou my God, should die for me? He is die for me, for the sin of the world.
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). God created human beings, yet many reject Him and His word. Ever since sin entered the world, it has been dragging man away from Holy God. God’s relationship with man is separated by sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son Jesus Christ into the world, for our sins. He died on the cross so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. God tells us that, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12).
In this picture, Jesus’ wounds from His nailed hands and feet and from the crown of thorns on His Head show us His willingness and determination to obey His Father’s will. He accepted the penalty of our sins, praying for us: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34).
Jesus also cried out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). The pain of separation from God’s Holy Presence was unbearable to Jesus, and the pain of abandonment seemed to far exceed all the sin and pain that He bore for mankind. Jesus’ anguish shows that, although He was God’s only beloved Son, He knew that crucifixion was the only way to reconcile man to our Father God. Jesus, the only perfectly unblemished sacrifice willingly took our punishment on Himself, and did it out of love for His Father and for us. “Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted…He was pierced for our transgressions…crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. “(Isaiah 53:4-6).
The background of this painting is predominantly red, representing the blood of Jesus that was shed for us. The Lamb of God is in the center of the universe. “…John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) Jesus suffered and died, but He arose from the dead on the third day. He reconciled us to His Father and is seated at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven. Jesus the Lamb of God is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12)

Painting by Jean Long in Vancouver BC
October 1, 2009